Pathfinder
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Pashmina goats, Ladakh.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changthangi
5 Mar, 2013, 12.02PM IST, Atul Thakur & M Saleem Pandit,TNN
Extreme weather kills 18,000 pashmina goats in Ladakh
NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR: Last year's unusually dry summer and this winter's unprecedented snowfall, the worst in nearly 50 years, in Ladakh's Changtang area has claimed over 18,000 "pashmina" goats, the source of one of the finest varieties of wool that has put the region on the world map.
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"While rains were scanty last summer, the winter witnessed unprecedented snowfall," said Dr Morup of Leh's district sheep husbandry office. Because of the harsh climate no other agricultural activity is possible and the fodder comes mainly from the natural vegetation. Lack of rain last year dried out the natural flora and the heavy snowfall in January and February cut off the region from the rest of the country, preventing fodder supplies. "The goats perished because of extreme cold and lack of food," he explained, adding, "We had supplied 13,000 quintals in November before the closure of the roads, otherwise loss would have been more."
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The pashmina wool has an enormous contribution to Ladakh's economy. "This kind of calamities might convince them to quit the nomadic lifestyle and settle in the villages. This will have a huge impact on the local economy," he added.
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Full text:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...dakhs-pashmina-goats/articleshow/18808657.cms